Book excerpt: Art of the Gun: Magnificent Colts Selections from the Robert M. Lee CollectionMagnificent Colts, the first in the five mega-volume The Art of the Gun series, celebrates the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Colt Company, by Samuel Colt, the first industrial tycoon. No object in history can rival the best quality gun in its multiple status as symbol of freedom, captivating mechanical marvel, tool of history, favorite for presentation, treasured equipment of sport, and masterful object of decorative art. Over several decades, Robert M. Lee has collected these treasures, including major examples of Colt production. The Art of the Gun celebrates these masterpieces in words and pictures all of them in glowing color, with most of the arms in actual size.